Before he became Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost spent almost nine years as bishop of Chiclayo. This is the story of a bond that began long before the papacy and will add a new chapter in November 2026.
Before he was known as Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost was for years a familiar figure to thousands of people in Chiclayo.
His relationship with Peru began decades before his election as Pope, and his story with Chiclayo in particular took shape during the years he led the diocese.
So when he was elected the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church on 8 May 2025, Chiclayo did not take the news as that of a distant pontiff: for many in the city it was the return of someone they had known as Monsignor Robert Prevost, their bishop.
Today, as the city gets ready to welcome him again in November 2026, knowing this story helps explain why there is such a special bond between Pope Leo XIV and Chiclayo.
Robert Prevost's story with Peru began long before he arrived in Chiclayo.
In 1985, aged 30, he was sent by the Order of Saint Augustine to the mission in Chulucanas, Piura. He went on to carry out various pastoral and formation roles in the country.
Between 1988 and 1998 he was part of the Augustinian mission in Trujillo, where he held several formation and teaching responsibilities.
In other words, when he reached Chiclayo years later, Prevost already had long missionary and pastoral experience in northern Peru.
On 3 November 2014, Pope Francis appointed Robert Francis Prevost apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo. Four days later, on 7 November, he took canonical possession of the diocese.
Just over a month later, on 12 December 2014, he was ordained bishop in the Cathedral of Santa María in Chiclayo, a place that will be on his schedule again during his November 2026 visit. That day he took his episcopal motto:
In Illo uno unum: “In the one Christ we are one.”
On 26 September 2015, Pope Francis officially named him bishop of Chiclayo. Over the following years, Prevost carried out his pastoral work in a diocese that spans many communities across Lambayeque.
His work was not limited to strictly religious activities. The Diocese of Chiclayo recalls various pastoral and social initiatives launched during his time as bishop, and Vatican News has documented social projects promoted between 2014 and 2023 that local organizations later carried on.
Part of Prevost's story in Chiclayo can also be told through the people who worked with him.
Father Marcos Antonio Ballena Rentería, who was involved in priestly formation in the diocese, remembered Prevost as a pastor who was approachable and committed to the most vulnerable.
Another close collaborator, César Piscoya, worked with him in diocesan ministry. In an interview with Vatican News after the papal election, he recalled that Prevost insisted on working in unity and with shared responsibility within the community.
These accounts show that his relationship with Chiclayo was not built only from the bishop's office, but also through the ties he formed with priests, religious, young people and communities.
During his years in Chiclayo, Prevost also stayed close to young people and educational settings.
Education was one of the areas in which he took on responsibilities within the Peruvian Episcopal Conference. In 2018 he was elected its second vice-president, and he was also involved with the Commission for Culture and Education.
This side of his career will take on special meaning during his upcoming visit: the official November 2026 program includes a meeting with the university community at the Universidad Católica Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo.
After almost nine years leading the Diocese of Chiclayo, a new chapter began.
On 30 January 2023, Pope Francis called Robert Prevost to Rome as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. He thus left Chiclayo to take up a post in the Holy See. That same year, Pope Francis made him a cardinal.
The Diocese of Chiclayo notes that his service as apostolic administrator and later bishop ran from November 2014 to April 2023.
On 8 May 2025, Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope and took the name Leo XIV.
From the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, one of his first references after his election was Chiclayo itself. The new pontiff sent greetings to his “beloved diocese of Chiclayo,” remembering the community he had served as bishop.
Chiclayo responded right away. The local community celebrated the election and, a few days later, a delegation of about 60 people from the Diocese of Chiclayo traveled to Rome for the celebrations marking the start of his pontificate. On 19 May 2025, Leo XIV received the delegation at the Vatican.
The story will add a new chapter in November 2026. The Vatican has officially confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will visit Chiclayo during his apostolic journey to Peru. His schedule in the region includes:
The visit will bring the Pope back to several places that are part of the region's religious history.
The answer lies in the years Robert Prevost spent in the city and the region. It is not only that he served as bishop of Chiclayo: during that time he built relationships with communities, priests, religious, young people and local organizations.
His time in Peru also began long before he was a bishop, and it unfolded mainly in the north of the country.
In November 2026, Leo XIV will return to a city he knew for almost a decade. This time he comes in a completely different role: as Pope of the Catholic Church.
For people who live in Chiclayo and for visitors arriving from other cities, the visit is also a chance to see the places that are part of this story. From the Cathedral of Santa María to Pimentel and Zaña, it is a way to walk some of the sites that now make up the Pope's Route in Lambayeque.
If you are planning to travel to Chiclayo in November, you can use your stay to see not only the places on the papal schedule but also the main attractions of Lambayeque.
Staying at Zentra Hotel gives you a base in Chiclayo from which to plan your route, get to know the city and head out to the different destinations in the region.
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